THE LAST SCENE Shakspere did not intend that the feeling evoked by the last scene of this tragedy of Romeo and Juliet should be one of hopeless sorrow or despair in presence of failure, ruin, and miserable collapse. Juliet and Romeo, to whom Verona has been a harsh step-mother, have accomplished their lives. They loved perfectly. Romeo had attained to manhood. Juliet had suddenly blossomed into heroic womanhood. Through her, and through anguish and joy, her lover had emerged from the life of dream into the waking life of truth. Juliet had saved his soul; she had rescued him from abandonment to spurious feeling, from abandonment to morbid self-consciousness, and the enervating luxury of emotion for emotion's sake. What more was needed? And as secondary to all this, the enmity of the houses is appeased? Montague will raise in pure gold the statue of true and faithful Juliet; Capulet will place Romeo by her side. Their lives are accomplished; they go to take up their place in the large history of the world, which contains many such things. Shakspere in this last scene carries forward our imagination from the horror of the tomb to the better life of man, when such love as that of Juliet and Romeo will be publicly honored, and remembered by a memorial all gold.-DOWDEN, Shakspere-His Mind and Art. DRAMATIS PERSONE ESCALUS, prince of Verona PARIS, a young nobleman, kinsman to the prince MONTAGUE, CAPULET, heads of two houses at variance with each other } An old man, of the Capulet family ROMEO, son to Montague MERCUTIO, kinsman to the prince, and friend to Romeo TYBALT, nephew to Lady Capulet FRIAR LAURENCE, a Franciscan FRIAR JOHN, of the same order SAMPSON, servants to Capulet PETER, servant to Juliet's nurse Three Musicians Page to Paris; another Page: an Officer LADY MONTAGUE, wife to Montague LADY CAPULET, wife to Capulet JULIET, daughter to Capulet Nurse to Juliet Citizens of Verona; kins folk of both houses; Maskers, Guards, Watchmen, and Attendants Chorus SCENE: Verona; Mantua SYNOPSIS By J. ELLIS BURDICK ACT I The two wealthy and influential families of Montague and Capulet in Verona have a quarrel of long standing, and so bitter is the feeling between them that even their remotest relatives and the servants are ready to draw their swords whenever they meet. Lord Capulet makes a great feast to which all of his friends are invited. Romeo, the heir of the Montagues, admires the Lady Rosaline and to see her he masks and goes to the supper. There he sees Juliet, the heiress of the Capulets, and straightway forgets Rosaline. They exchange vows and later discovers X 16 each other's identity. In the meantime, Tybalt, a nephew of Lady Capulet, recognizes Romeo and, but for Lord Capulet's interference, would have fought him then and there. ACT II After the festivities are over, Romeo slips away from his friends and climbing over the Capulet's orchard wall, places himself under Juliet's window. A moment later Juliet herself appears at the window above and talks aloud of her love. Romeo, too happy to remain quiet, reveals his presence by speaking to her. They decide to be married soon and secretly. The very next day Friar Laurence unites them in his cell. ACT III About noon of the wedding-day Tybalt and a party of Capulets meet some of Romeo's friends. They exchange words, when, Romeo passing that way Tybalt turns to > |